Field
The exemplary embodiments relate to a storage medium having stored therein an information processing program, an information processing apparatus, information processing method, and an information processing system, and more specifically, to a storage medium having stored therein an information processing program that enables execution of software for earlier generation and is executed by a later-generation apparatus, and the like.
Background and Summary
Among various information processing apparatuses represented by a game apparatus, next generation apparatuses (hereinafter, may be referred to as an “old apparatus”) may be produced along with the advance of hardware performance and the like. In this case, by using a method disclosed in a certain document, such a next generation apparatus may have compatibility so as to be capable of executing software for earlier generation apparatus (hereinafter, may be referred to as a “new apparatus”).
However, in the above conventional technique, the new apparatus executes software for old apparatus and then performs emulation, thereby generating a display image. Therefore, in the above conventional technique, the display image depends on the perfection level of emulation. Typically, in the case where a GPU of the new apparatus, which draws a display image, has a configuration (architecture) to use a different drawing method from that of a GPU of the old apparatus, the conventional technique can generate only a display image with a low perfection level. Moreover, in the case where their drawing methods are completely different from each other, the conventional technique cannot execute software for old apparatus and generate a display image.
Therefore, a feature of the exemplary embodiments is to provide an information processing apparatus and the like that are capable of, even if a drawing unit (GPU) of a new apparatus has a configuration (architecture) to use a different drawing method from that of a drawing unit (GPU) of an old apparatus, executing software for the old apparatus and generating a display image with a high perfection level.
The exemplary embodiments have the following aspects in order to solve the above problems.
One aspect of the exemplary embodiments is a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program which is executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus capable of executing processing in a normal mode and a compatible mode, the information processing program causing the computer to function as a first processing section, and a second processing section. The normal mode is a processing mode in which processing based on a first architecture for the information processing apparatus is executed. The compatible mode is a processing mode in which processing based on a second architecture for another information processing apparatus, which is different from the first architecture, is executed. The first processing section is configured to execute the processing based on the first architecture. The second processing section is configured to execute the processing based on the second architecture. In the normal mode, the first processing section inputs first result data obtained by executing the processing based on the first architecture, to an output section configured to output inputted data to a user. In the compatible mode, the second processing section inputs second result data obtained by executing the processing based on the second architecture, to the first processing section, and the first processing section inputs the second result data inputted from the second processing section, to the output section, in a manner adapting the second result data to input of the output section.
According to the above aspect, in the compatible mode, the second processing section executes processing based on the second architecture for the other information processing apparatus. Therefore, the information processing apparatus can obtain the same result data (the second result data) as that obtained by the other information processing apparatus executing processing based on the second architecture. In addition, the second result data is adapted to the output section and then inputted to the output section. Therefore, since emulation is not performed as in conventional technique, the processing result does not depend on the perfection level of emulation. Moreover, even if the information processing apparatus and the other information processing apparatus are much different in their architectures (design concept or process method), the information processing apparatus can execute software (program) for the other information processing apparatus and surely provide substantially the same output as that of the other information processing apparatus, to a user. It is noted that as an example, the first processing section will be assumed to be a CPU 311 and a GPU 313 in an embodiment described later. In addition, as an example, the second processing section will be assumed to be a CPU 312 and a GPU 314 in the embodiment described later.
In another aspect, the first architecture and the second architecture may be architectures for generating images. The first result data and the second result data may be image data. The output section may display an image to a user.
According to the above aspect, in image generation processing, the information processing apparatus can execute software for the other information processing apparatus and surely output substantially the same image as that by the other information processing apparatus, to a user, without depending on the perfection level of emulation, unlike conventional technique.
In another aspect, the first architecture may be an architecture for generating a 3-dimensional CG image by 3-dimensional computer graphics. The second architecture may be an architecture for generating a 2-dimensional CG image by 2-dimensional computer graphics.
According to the above aspect, the information processing apparatus which performs drawing processing using 3-dimensional computer graphics can execute software for the other information processing apparatus, which software realizes drawing processing using 2-dimensional computer graphics, and can surely output substantially the same image as that by the other information processing apparatus, to a user, without depending on the perfection level of emulation, unlike conventional technique.
In another aspect, the first processing section may include: a first drawing section configured to generate data of a 3-dimensional CG image by 3-dimensional computer graphics, as the first result data; and a first operation section configured to perform operation of determining the content of the 3-dimensional CG image, and instruct the first drawing section to generate data of the 3-dimensional CG image corresponding to the determined content. The second processing section may include: a second drawing section configured to generate data of a 2-dimensional CG image by 2-dimensional computer graphics, as the second result data; and a second operation section configured to perform operation of determining the content of the 2-dimensional CG image, and instruct the second drawing section to generate data of the 2-dimensional CG image corresponding to the determined content.
According to the above aspect, the information processing apparatus includes the second operation section and the second drawing section which are the same as those of the other information processing apparatus, and in the compatible mode, generates a display image by using 2-dimensional CG image data generated by the second operation section and the second drawing section. Therefore, the information processing apparatus can surely output substantially the same image as that by the other information processing apparatus, to a user. It is noted that as an example, the first drawing section and the first operation section will be assumed to be the GPU 313 and the CPU 311, respectively, in the embodiment described later. In addition, as an example, the second drawing section and the second operation section will be assumed to be the GPU 314 and the CPU 312, respectively, in the embodiment described later.
In another aspect, the instruction manner in which the first operation section instructs the first drawing section to generate data of the 3-dimensional CG image may be different from the instruction manner in which the second operation section instructs the second drawing section to generate data of the 2-dimensional CG image.
The information processing apparatus includes the second operation section and the second drawing section which are the same as those of the other information processing apparatus, and in the compatible mode, generates a display image by using 2-dimensional CG image data generated by the second operation section and the second drawing section. Therefore, even if the instruction manners are different from each other as described above, the information processing apparatus can surely output substantially the same image as that by the other information processing apparatus, to a user.
In another aspect, in the compatible mode, the first processing section may perform predetermined additional processing for the second result data inputted from the second processing section, and may input the second result data to the output section, in the manner adapting the second result data to input of the output section.
According to the above aspect, it is possible to perform various additional processings for the second result data.
In another aspect, the predetermined additional processing may be processing of adding a predetermined image to an image represented by the second result data.
According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide various types of visual information to a user in the compatible mode. In addition, if the image to be added includes an operation button, the image can be used as a user interface. In the embodiment described later, a home transfer determination image is used as an example of such an image to be added.
In another aspect, the predetermined additional processing may be processing of performing predetermined image adjustment for an image represented by the second result data.
According to the above aspect, it is possible to additionally perform, in the compatible mode, image adjusting processing which is not performed in the other information processing apparatus. In the embodiment described later, image processing of brightness-relevant adjustment is performed in order to prevent photosensitive epilepsy, as an example of the image adjustment processing.
In another aspect, the other information processing apparatus may be of the same type as the information processing apparatus, and may be an older generation apparatus than the information processing apparatus.
According to the above aspect, even if the information processing apparatus is of a type in which the frequency of generation change is relatively high, the information processing apparatus of the next generation can surely execute software for the information processing apparatus of old generation (earlier generation).
In another aspect, the information processing apparatus may be a game apparatus.
According to the above aspect, by using the game apparatus, a user can surely play software (game program) for earlier generation game apparatus.
In the above, the exemplary embodiments are described using a storage medium having stored therein an information processing program. However, the exemplary embodiments may be applied to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, or an information processing system.
According to the exemplary embodiments, it is possible to provide an information processing apparatus and the like that are capable of, even if a drawing unit (GPU) of a new apparatus has a configuration (architecture) to use a different drawing method from that of a drawing unit (GPU) of an old apparatus, executing software for the old apparatus and generating a display image with a high perfection level.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.